Skin is the largest human organ and its main role is to protect the organism from external factors and to prevent water and electrolyte loss. The uppermost layer of skin, the stratum corneum, represents the first line of the skin's barrier function. Ceramides, fatty acids and cholesterol form the extracellular lipid matrix of the epidermal barrier and are packed into thick orthorhombic structures within the interstitium of the stratum corneum. Ceramides play the main role in maintaining these structures, so even small changes in the composition and/or the amount of ceramides result in the impairment of the skin barrier function, which leads to skin dehydration and increased permeability, which in turn can lead to pathological states. Except their structural role, ceramides also act as bioactive messengers and play many roles in the skin's immune response. Since it has been observed that topically applied exogenous ceramides benefit the function and the appearance of the skin, are not toxic and that they have a great tolerability, cosmetic brands have started using them in their formulations for dry skin and for skin barrier restoration. The aim of this paper is to give a systematic overview of the structure and the function of the main skin barrier lipids- ceramides, the formation of the lipid membranes of the horny layer and their molecular organisation, as well as to give an overview of available dermatocosmetic products containing ceramides for the maintenance and restoration of the skin barrier.